Puppeter04 returns

[Puppeter04]

 No. 70 - Telling Lies 

 

 

*If you check the previous posts, you'd see that I say the time spent, and how many times I played it but this was in one sitting, taking little breaks to do whatever, so between 3-4 hours 

 

7.9 /10 ⭐

Difficulty: 2 / 10

Did I cry? ?

 

I wanted #70 to be one of the big ones I'm playing but couldn't resist trying this after all I've heard about it, and thinking back, I noticed that I played Her Story on PC so I dove in.

 

Telling Lies is a game that explains to us, absolutely nothing (at least in an obvious way). We sit in front of a computer screen, period. In front of us, a couple of documents and a search engine. In the search engine, we can put any word and it will show us the first five videos that contain that word. There you have it, solve the mystery. Put it all together, random ppl, what do they have in common? 

 

I really sat down without a guide, cause I'm a sucker for this type of thing. And the videos recorded are real people, known faces if you watch a couple of TV shows a year tho (faces from American Horror Story and Narcos among others)

 

The narrative is fantastic. How it presents us with a multitude of fragments of stories that are intertwined, how it makes us put ourselves in the shoes of the receiver of that video to try to find out what he is saying, what is happening ... In that respect we can only praise what Sam Barlow and his team have achieved. The biggest problem, unfortunately, is its end. And not because it is bad, but because it remains kind of incomplete.

 

Although, as I've said, there are several intertwined stories, at the end of it we will only discover the conclusion of the one that we have investigated the most, leaving us a little halfway. We can continue to watch videos once the "story" is completed, so to speak, but I would have liked to see a more global conclusion. But to be honest, I'm not complaining, this was a marvelous ride. 

 

THE BEST: 

 

• The cast is brilliant
• Her Story but more
• It continues to be a breath of fresh air in the industry
• Story and how we discover it
• The details and options when operating the PC cuz that's always cool
• Solitaire, I just love it.

 

THE WORST:

• The lack of multiscreen and an option to start the videos from the beginning
• There are hardly any new mechanics regarding Her Story.
   

 

Now back to the big games, I'll pass by soon enough ! 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

It's Sunday and that means is time for a weekly update y'all!  

 

Let's see, this week, apart from completing Paraiso Island (100%) and getting plat #70 (Telling Lies) we've made some progress:

 

Starting off with Nioh 2 - SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED!!: 

 

First of all, I'm gonna thank my friend Igor even tho he is already done with this for putting in the effort and time to help me, Igor, I'm gonna go to Brazil and give you the nastiest kiss ever, I love you. He's the same who I platted FC5 and FCND with, also played F76 (he was also done with Fallout) and MK11 with him. We enjoy each other company a lot. 

 

We finished the main story (we had one-third of it left), and I met my mom in the Interim (I WAS SOBBING), before that, I parted ways with Tokichiro to defeat him later, and some miscellaneous stuff in some of the missions. From here I just want to APPLAUSE and BUILD A FKing MONUMENT to those who have finished any souls-like game from start to finish ALONE (myself included). 

 

 

I don't know which weapon I'm using anymore tbh, but it's an axe (bad decision when I'm absolutely mad with the stamina in this game, and yes, I've upgraded til the point I could, everything related to stamina/ki), ⬆️1090 so not complaining. To this day I still have no idea how to properly use magic. And probably I will never know.  A couple of missions left, find any missing Kodama and some hot springs, acquire mystic arts for all weapons, and give poop to that poor man. And probably something more I'm missing. Currently sitting at level 109 or so. 

 

 

This place is so depressing yet so beautiful, I just love it. Like graveyards, I don't know if you guys have this feeling too. I'm sounding like a gothic here but I'm far away from that, also from being an all-pink girl, ew. 

 

 

Moving onto the Battlefield franchise: 

 

BTF4 - I could do the online trophies (thanks guys, you were a lot so @ you is gonna be tedious), but thank you so much, I was sure It was going to be pretty impossible at this point, the only thing left is getting to rank 25 but that will come naturally, same with the 45 kills with the M1911. If I get to rank 25 and I see I still have a lot of hours ahead to get the handgun I'll just buy the package that includes it (5 bucks, so, worth it). 

No trophy screenshot cause every pic was lame. 

 

BTF1 - I'm done with the online, this is the highest point of this franchise and I'm ready to fight anyone who thinks otherwise. It was FUUUUUUN. And after putting more than 1000 hours into this back in the day, surprisingly my skills are not that bad nowadays. 

 

 

 

And finally, Tomb Raider Definite Edition: 

 

Online trophies done (I was really "scared" of this being a plat breaker), except for getting to level 60 and buying every character/perk, I'm currently doing that solo rn, cause its the fastest way to rank up. Thankfully the trophy for buying every perk will glitch in my favor, If not, I'll wander around getting more salvage and that's it. 

Thanks @Virtua_Vince, @rob25P and Atlas (don't remember the @ now) for the boost

 

This was the best screenshot (bear it). And yes, I changed my PS4 language to English at this point.

 

 

 

Plans for next week: finish TR online, finish BTF4 online, then start each campaign (including BTF1). That's the main stuff. If life treats me well, I'll make more progress on Nioh 2 and also I should head back to F76. And surprise surprise, I'll go back to live in Madrid in April SO IMMA HAVE MY PS3 BACK, YASSSSSSSSSSSSS (with less time in my hands cause I really need to go back to being a functional adult to society but whatever)

 

 

Have a wonderful Sunday!  

Edited February 19, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

 n. 71 - Virginia 

 

The plat screenshot was literally a black screen so this one looks better and this way you can see what type of game it is:

⭐ 7.5 / 10

Difficulty: 2 / 10

 

Did I understand something? No, Sir! Did I like it? Yes, Sir.

What a funny thing huh, playing a game that has the same name as my ex-fiancée (good terms, don't panic) 

 

This title will put you in the role of the recently graduated FBI agent Anne Tarver, who in a team with the experienced agent Maria Halepin, must solve the case of the disappearance of a young man named Lucas Fairfax. The clues to follow and the list of suspects will grow as you progress through the game. And the plot twists along with the music (Philarmonic of Prague if I'm not mistaken) will somehow make this an enjoyable ride. And not a single dialogue, art without words, literally. 

 

2 playthroughs, It's 5:35 am here, I started playing maybe at 3 am, cause I took a nap from 7 to 10 pm (don't ask why, I was wrecked) so there's no way I could sleep. Too tired to be really functional but not so much to sleep. So instead of playing something that makes me think or need skills, I decided to do this as you only interact with things. I'm going to speedrun my 2nd playthrough (same thing, but you need to, stupid, right?). 

 

To be honest, the only thing I could say about this game is that, I was more confused than when I watched Steins;Gate or Dark for the first time. Too many jumps in time, or too many drugs (the devs, not me). And the last plot twist?! That was so uncalled for. Literally:

 

Spoiler

A SPACESHIP DROPPED A HUMAN ?????????! NO SIGNS OF ALIENS OR WHATEVER, JUST A POLICE GAME, LIKE WTF

 

 

Every time I play a police/FBI/agent of the law game, I always say the same, stop it, and go play L.A Noire. Period.

 

Okay, I'm back, 7 am, I went to make some pancakes cause they were having breakfast in the game and I got so hungry. After the 2nd playthrough, I think I understand a little bit more of what's going on. Apparently, my department within the FBI is fucked up. No, that doesn't explain the time jumps or the spoiler, but we're surrounded by hyenas and as we are solving the cases and corrupt stuff, we're been promoted til we are in the highest position but this has consequences, we suffer from anxiety and guilt. We see a buffalo and a bird, a lot of times, and this has an explanation. Our teammate, I think, is the bird, and those references make me think that she is not that bad of a person, kinda dull but whatever. That's it, that's my conclusion ? I'm sure I'm gonna be thinking about this for a week at least. Trying to find any other thing I missed or something that gives it some kind of sense. 

 

THE BEST:

• A great job to reflect on communication without using dialogue.
• Colorful and pleasing to the eye.
• The story makes me pay attention gladly (I have ADHD)

THE WORST:

• Short, I need more explanations.
• Technically it does not stop living in the past to some extent.
• The rhythm of the narrative is irregular.
• A trophy glitched on me in the 1st playthrough (could get it later)

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

This week the update is today Friday cuz Sunday morning I have a flight and Imma be out for some days, hope to see some progress on your profiles once I'm back. You two know I'm talking about you. Is not tomorrow cuz imma be busy and if I play, It will be Nioh 2 or TR/BTF4 campaign so I'll put those trophies on next week's post ^^

 

Well, let's go. A lot of time invested but not so much progress for me, two main things: 

 

• Battlefield 4 online is already done, completely. Got the last two trophies:
  
  
  Call me "Sir" 
  Reach rank 25   -   This would have taken less time if I'd remembered about the xp boosts this game gives you with the battle packs but tbf, the last matches were a blast.

          

         .45 Old School 

         Perform 45 kills with the M1911 in MP - I ended up buying the shortcut kit for handguns for 5€, definitely saved a lot of time this way. If not, I needed to kill +200 enemies with a handgun and no thank you.

Total time invested online: 30h

• Tomb Raider Definite Edition online is also done, damn lord, that was quite a little grind, and I say little cause I'm used to RPGs and everything compared to that seems nothing but I'm so happy I'm done.
  
  True Commitment 
  Reach lvl 60 online - Yeah, def was a true commitment. After doing the boosting sessions for the tricky trophies I was at lvl25 or so, then I started boosting solo doing one of the so-called methods, the famous one, the greatest one, but even tho, I just go 30k every 10min so I started to think of any other way, that one couldn't be the only one, let alone the fastest. and yeah, I tripled the xp but doubled the time: 92k every 20min but you need another person too. Also, Idk whats wrong with my left joystick, need to change it, I'll buy another controller soon anyway.
  
  
  Shopaholic 
  Buy every upgrade and character in MP - It glitched in my favor so

Total time invested online: 16h

 

And some misc stuff in Nioh 2... 2 trophies so far... but its progress lol

 

 

Oh, I found my excel (PS4 edition) from when I was a reviewer/tester/whatever u wanna call it so now, in every post Imma choose a game from it with a random number generator and drop it here as a "recommendation" (quoted cause is only a rec when it has a score above 7, if not, is only information)

 

 

Hack and slash/Beat 'em up UR PLAT!

⭐7/10

 

 

AND MARCH... IMMORTAL FENYX RISING IS COMING!!!!! and so am I. Had a fun time on switch with that one.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Jeanolt]

Wonder if you'll play BT2042 considering the poor reviews... it's part of the essential lineup next month. Also really cool that you're going back to Madrid and getting the PS3 back, I'll have to leave my consoles behind someday but I know someone will take care of them. Time to finish that part of the backlog.

 

As a trivia I'm a real madrid fan since at least 12 years ago asi que hala madrid!?

[Puppeter04]

3 hours ago, Jeanoltt said:

Wonder if you'll play BT2042 considering the poor reviews... it's part of the essential lineup next month. Also really cool that you're going back to Madrid and getting the PS3 back, I'll have to leave my consoles behind someday but I know someone will take care of them. Time to finish that part of the backlog.

 

As a trivia I'm a real madrid fan since at least 12 years ago asi que hala madrid!

Hala Madrid !!! 

 

I was wondering too tbh. I took a look at the trophy guide and seems pretty tedious so I'm still thinking about it.. i will wait to see how many ppl are actually playing but I still have 14-15 plats to do and some 100%s sooooo who knows. What do you think I should do? 

 

No need to leave them behind !! I take them with me, aaaaalways. Except for this time with the PS3 although I don't know what happened, no idea why my brain decided to take that decision ?

[Puppeter04]

YOOOOOOOOOOO, I'm back, came back home Wednesday night and n.72 is out already

 

 N.72 - Marvel's Spider-man 

Again plat ss was a black screen but this pic I took should do it, love it but Spidy... you shouldn't skip leg day

 

Platinum date: 11th March 2023

Played: 9 times

Played for: 25h 26m

Average: 2h 50m

Base game: 100% + 0% DLCs (I'll do them soon)

8.7 / 10 ⭐

Difficulty: 4.5 / 10

Did I cry? ✅

 

 

 

I've missed being Spidy so badly, I'm not going to say much about it cuz it's mainstream af, just that I really enjoyed this ride.

Collectibles in this game...  that's how it should be, not like on PS3, which was a disaster. 

 

 

Visually stunning, and has a great story, kinda dislike the parts when you have to play as MJ or MM cause they were rather slow but well-deserved GOTY. 

The side missions (outposts and stuff) can become a little bit boring if they were too much, but in this game, quality goes over quantity, so no complaints here

 

A personal complaint is that I've been a professional handball player for so many years so if I press so many buttons for a long period of time my wrists kinda hurt. That's why I had to stop playing last night and save the plat for today. 

 

 

THE BEST:

 

- Every gadget is useful

-The best swinging mechanics I've ever seen

-Strong Narrative

-Black cat... aka mommy. Looking forward to the DLC

-The voice acting is amazing

 

THE WORST:

 

-Can get kinda repetitive

-Maybe a better OST

 

 

Okay, after these quick comments, let's plan things out: 

 

Priorities: Nioh 2, Mass Effect trilogy, Trials of Mana, Heavenly Bodies, ROTTK 13, MK11, and Wild Guns Reloaded (Priority cuz they are from PS+)

Second: BTF4, BTF1, F76, and Tomb Raider (just some collectibles left but man...) (Nonpriority cuz they're physical copies)

Coming next: Miles Morales, Tekken 7, and Kona

 

 

Nioh 2 - 34/55 trophies

Mass Effect 1 - 5/34 trophies - I don't like missable trophies at all

Trials of Mana - 10/43 trophies

HB - 6/25 trophies

ROTTK 13 - 12/42 trophies

MK11 - 53/58 trophies

WGR - 1/18 trophies

 

 

BTF4 - 13/42 trophies

BTF1 - 11/31 trophies

F76 - 27/50 trophies

TR - 41/50 trophies

 

Oh boy, we have work to do

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

Did this happen? Yes, it did.

 

 n.73 - TEKKEN 7

20 years of domestic violence

⭐8.2 / 10 

Played: 4 times

Played for: 6h55m

Average: 1h42m

Difficulty: 4 / 10

Did I cry? ofc not guys, ffs, idk what image you have of me

 

I platted Tekken 7 before Mk11, the fighting god had mercy on me. And yeah, as you guys told me this was an easy quick ride. 

Don't look at me that way, I grew up spending the lil money my parents gave me in the arcade, I swear I'm not that bad at this, is just that playing fighting games using a PS controller is atrocious. 

 

Well, let's see, the story, it was nice but I think is not well connected. But let me tell you, I skipped through most of it. And again, I know every fighting game story (if I haven't played at all) in advance bc I love comics.

 

Online mode, again Igor was around, I swear imma marry that guy at this rate. We played 10 matches, I won 7/3 and he's hella good at fighting games! 

Then the tournament, first try they fu*k me up completely, then the system match us together so I quickly texted him: 

 

-Hey, let me win, but don't make it obvious!!!

 

The tournament system is 3 rounds per battle, and the score was 2/2, I was really thinking this mf wasn't going to let me win but false alarm. 

 

Then I moved into the ranked match trophy and matched with a german dude using a Russian dude, so you know you'll be destroyed. Exactly what happened. Fought 4 times against him, til I said "fuck you", left, and found another person, won on the first try, flawless victory trophy included. Lucy was happy again
 

Moved into Character trophies, then some misc stuff (even tho I got almost everything just by chance), and 50.000 damage on practice mode, almost fall asleep doing that, why every Tekken has that trophy?! you guys need some fresh air. But thankfully, Paul, rage activated, and spamming L1+X did the trick faster.

 

Yeah, I know you are waiting to see where I struggled. Imma tell you: the special mission after you finish the story, Devil Kazuya (you) VS Akuma. Jesus Christ. I tried to cheese the fight using the Devil Blaster maintaining my distance but It gave me a hard time, mostly bc Kazuya's aim is worst than a sniper's suffering from parkinson. And when I finally made it (almost) turned out, for some reason, I didn't have the R1 input for my rage art so I could block him... fuck me. Also had to mute the game cuz Akuma's voice or whatever humming he does when he dodges was getting on my nerves. Also the Rage Drives, for some reason took me longer than expected, something was not working, had to play around changing buttons inputs and figured out all I had to do was turn basic combos off. 

Treasures battles are addictive, whatever uses the task-reward principle is addictive. We are simple as that. But it is not enough, this game does not contribute anything to the legacy of the franchise. And I don't even know how the reward system when it comes to points works tho. 

 

All I can think now is 2 things:

1. how this game would be on VR

2. Maybe this is the beginning of my fighting games era? I'm starting to enjoy the pain.

 

 

THE BEST:

 

The gameplay remains as good as ever
Customization system
Treasure Battle mode is addictive
Akuma's inclusion in the story is very good.

THE WORST:

 

Mediocre graphics
Few local game modes
Poorly achieved story mode, sorry not sorry.

Anyway back to Nioh 2, see you soon! 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

 N.74  - TOMB RAIDER DEFINITIVE EDITION

Played: 17 times

Played for: 37h 30m

Score: 8.5 / 10 ⭐

Difficulty: 4.5 / 10 

Did I cry? ✅

 

 

Let's divide this in two, online and offline, aka venting and praising.

But first step if you play this: increase the brightness to the max, cause its dark af

 

Online

 

Half, hear me out, HALF of the total time was invested in the online, and yeah there're a lot of games where that's the norm, sure, but not in these ones, for fuck sake, if they keep adding online mode, or worse, online trophies in games like this, uncharted, tlou, I don't know what I'm going to do but someone is going to get hurt :)))

Kill-related trophies, get to lvl 60 aka spend 15h doing so in a dead multiplayer mode, and I don't even remember what else, I got so traumatized that my brain deleted that. And let's not talk about the graphics/mechanics in mp... WHAT ARE THOSE?!?! How can a game experiment such a downgrade within the same game, literally, I don't get it. Let's be honest, Tomb Raider is not the most stunning one but has pretty decent graphics for its age, but once you move to mp, suddenly you went back two generations, or even 3. 

 

 

Offline aka Story

 

We are Lara Croft, everybody knows that. An archeologist in progress, or maybe someone who after this adventure doesn't want to be one anymore (*TR Rise and Shadow appear*). Just imagine, you go on an expedition as basically your first job, and random mercenaries, a cult and idk what else destroy your group of friends and make you live a nightmare worst than wandering around the Lands Between and finding yourself facing Malenia basically in underwear. 

The premise of the campaign: middle of the world, ancient Japanese civilization, group of friends, looking for treasures, mercenaries appear, we have a traitor within our lines, everybody got lost, let's look for everyone, somehow they blame us, everybody reunited? oh, X is dead. Something happens, the cycle repeats, everybody reunited? oh, Y is dead........ and this goes on and on and on.

 

When I said "somehow they blame us", literally a colleague said: "Whoever is around you, ends up getting killed" OH MA LORD I WAS READY TO START SWINGING ?

 

But overall, the story was entertaining, pretty standard, but really entertaining, shooting, climbing, bow, lots of tools, animals, cough collectibles cough... variety in the type of enemy (kinda). optional tombstones (little puzzle sections) What else imma say, guys? Female uncharted, but I'm still Uncharted team. Sorry.

The collectibles are okay in this game cuz they are marked on the map if you keep spamming L1 (survival instinct) or find the map in each area, except for the challenges,  they do not appear on the map so good luck, they are not that difficult but I could have saved some time if they were on the map.

 

You could plat this in 1 playthrough but there are some missable trophies, and of course, I missed one, one conversation I had to have but fortunately and idk why, I had a save made 1h30 prior to that point and It was one close to the end so did that pretty quick. What took me the most time apart from the collectibles was getting enough salvage (this game currency) to upgrade all weapons, finished the game and got every trophy except for that one and I was 2k short, so I had to spend a decent amount of time hunting down deers and rabbits (10 on average per animal dead), but whatever, we are done. 

 

Id have appreciated more difficulty tho. 

 

 

See you, goodnight !

 

 

EDIT: Omg I forgot to put the good and bad things!!!!

 

THE BEST:

• Good graphics
• An excellent origin story for Lara
• Good atmosphere
• Intense and intuitive combat system
• Exploration elements are still an important part of the gameplay

 

THE WORST: 

• Online, entirely.
• Easy story, easy puzzles.
• Challenges can make you lose time 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

 

DOUBLE ENTRY THIS TIME! 

 

 N. 75  - NIOH 2 

 

 

Played: 44 times

Played for: 92h 32min

Base game 100% - DLC's coming soon (at some point this year)

Did I cry? ✅

Score: 8.5 / 10 ⭐

Difficulty: 5.5 / 10 (bc coop, if not, easily a 7.5 or 8)

 

Oh boy, Nioh 2, where do I start... from the beginning I guess? 

 

I'm writing this while the AI is doing some towers in MK11, some call it cheating, I call it productivity and time management. Well, let's go! 

 

I absolutely love Japan's folklore but little did I know, how badly my ass was going to be kicked, cause let's be honest, I consider myself a decent souls-like player but damn, first mission and I was already reconsidering my life choices... dying every 2 enemies, and bosses? no less than 5 attempts each, I don't remember killing a boss on the first try, except for the time I played co-op, which was hella fun!!!! but before that, I did a third of the game alone and other times when my friend wasn't on and forced solo missions. The question is, was it worth it? 

 

If you are not able to stick with it within the first few hours of dying and dying, then no, If you can, absolutely. It's a complex game, with too many options, too many weapons, armor, and stances, and little details like those can really change the experience. 

 

But you know that if the main language characters talk in a videogame is Japanese, then imma dive in, story-wise... it wasn't out of this world, pretty standard in my opinion, I kinda prefer the first game in that aspect, cause you arrive there with no idea of wtf happened, here you know what you have to do and what you are here for. 

 

I'm not going to tell you what this game is about, cause if you don't know, then you don't deserve to be my friend. Let's talk about weapons. In this type of games, I use to go with a heavy build, first mistake here, everything could be going alright, but once you encounter a fast enemy... what are you going to do? pray for your life, I guess.

 

Axe > Odachi > Kusarigama 

 

Axes and Odachis can be reeeeeally powerful, but kusarigamas are the "all-in-one" weapon, you can maintain your distance if you run out of elixir and move pretty fast. Go for it. Use them. Trust me. 

 

Armor: whatever, it doesn't matter much, choose a specific one if you want some perks, but that's it. Stick to changing them everytime you get a better one

Objects: same as above

 

Ninjutsu and magic: really useful, if you know how and when to use it

 

Collectibles: that's how you do it. You can use some stuff that has the Kodama sensor perk, GREAT.

 

The rest of the things are pretty irrelevant, I don't know, figure it out yourself, that's the point, right? 

 

What did I like the most here? that you cannot cheese a lot of fights (boss ones), maybe a couple, but that's it, your patience and skills are gonna be tested.

 

Level design: or I don't have a sense of direction at all or some missions are a fk maze, I got so frustrated sometimes, you have no idea, but overall, this game is stunning. 

 

Proficiency: the easiest thing to farm I've ever encountered in a souls-like game (Deidarabotchi method)

 

Interim: one of the most stunning places I've ever seen. And my mom!!? well, mommy*?...

 

Gestures: that was amazing, every time Igor and I reached a cliff, we quickly pressed the roar-gest and started screaming into the void.

 

Dojo missions: some on the first try, other on the +10 (ninjutsu one), it is what it is guys. 

 

Enough with the boring stuff, let's rank some bosses!!!! (Top 10 based on difficulty)

 

Spoiler

From less difficult to I wanna jump off the window 
 

Lady Osakabe 

 

First, your husband is disgusting, and I don't even understand you, what are you supposed to be? Yeah a castle but... idk

The difficulty of this combat is when you face a tentacle and fall before a rain of elemental damage that you have to dodge. In addition, when you remove one tentacle, another appears on the other side.

 

Ryomen Sukuna

 

The red demon fights with fire, violent and aggressive, while the blue demon fights with ice, cunning. Fight the red one as much as possible, but always dodging ffs. It gave me a hard time the second time I had to fight him/it(?)

 

Kashin Koji

 

This boss is a whole box of surprises. He becomes a spellcaster and will accumulate puddles around the battlefield. If you get too close to him, he will summon lightning around him, and then attack with a giant frost blade. This may seem difficult, but the hard part is when he enters the Dark Realm and uses his sword for some dangerous combos. Sometimes, he will also summon a clone who uses a wave of fire while continuing with his combo. In a moment, four clones may appear to cut you at once, and even Kashin Koji can teleport to attack you. Well, quite an odyssey to find out perfectly each mechanic and get the combat.

 

Saika Magoichi 

 

Glad to see you back, but you should've stayed in the first game mate.

The most dangerous thing about him is his cunning and his speed, in addition to dodging all the shots of his weapon. You have to be cautious and in each attack retreat. Believe me because it is veeeery harmful. You also have to be careful with fireballs. In other words, concentrate to evade all its damage, counter its explosive attacks and try to take it down as soon as possible if you don't wanna lose your hair.

 

Otakemaru

Just look at him...

3 swords, lightning and fire... run for your life.

The important thing about this fight is not only its weapons, but the different phases that will exist. In the first one he will change shape and hit very fast. In the second, it will be necessary to deal with a fairly strong attack almost impossible to counteract. In the third, he will summon two swords floating around him. The blockade is almost useless at this stage and, in addition, all previous attacks will have to be dealt with. You want to give up? Keep begging.

 

Katsuie Shibata

 

Is the second match against him what becomes a great challenge. Its main objective will be to charge against you for massive damage. He charges constantly, and in the Dark Realm, he will strike with his axes making a whirlpool of fire. The problem with this fight, in addition to the damage he does with his axes, is the sheer amount of life he has and the changes he continually makes. Good luck

 

Kamaitachi 

 

 

You have reflexes? good, you need them.

Probably the fastest boss in Nioh 2. It will climb trees and will charge towards you. Then it will keep turning constantly to attack and throw slices of whirlwinds. The important thing about this fight is not to crave to attack, but to block and always look for the best combination of blows. Avoid its tail and keep an eye on it. The attack with its tail is very dangerous and sometimes deadly.

 

Gyuki

 

 

Hear me out, don't you dare understimate this boss, If you are not focused, it can really be a pain in the ass

Try to avoid everything, the worst thing is that it keeps moving and moving. But if you got the skills then is a walk in the park but maybe your first fight with him will be complicated

 

 

Kasha aka mommy 2.0

 

 

Don't let her beauty distract you, cause you are gonna be fked and not in the good way

It is no easy task to predict her next move. The overwhelming amount of fire she uses does not become an easy task to dodge either. The first step to defeating this yokai is to find a way to deal with her flames. She will leave a trail of these in its wake, turning it into a difficult yokai to pursue to attack it.

Once in the Dark Realm, try not to attack her from behind when she hits the wall, as she will quickly turn around. At some point, she will also summon some other yokais to help her, but these are easy kills.

 

 

Tatarimokke

 

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, I was seeing red, this one really make my inexistent anger issues show up

I'm not even going to tell you what it does, fight it at your own risk.

 

 

 

 

 

THE BEST:

• Excellent, addictive and rewarding combat system
• Great visual display in battles
• Learning curve and difficulty very well implemented
• Interesting and balanced progression system
• Yokai skills well managed and that do not break the game
• Design of levels very well achieved except for 2 or 3, and with options according to level
• Balance in each section, there is no easy way to do things

 

THE WORST:

• Errors in camera angles with the sight fixed on the enemy
• Drop in frame rate in certain situations

 

 

 

N. 76  Mortal Kombat 11 

 

 

Played: 21 times

Played for: 43h

Did I cry?: ⛔

Score: 8.9 / 10 ⭐ 

Difficulty: 5.5 / 10 (except for the tutorial)

 

Imma make quick comments about this:

I wasn't lost in confusion cuz like I've said a million times before, I love comics, but I think the time travel excuse is a little too much already but either way, story-wise was fantastic. The online is addictive, and the Krypt feels like fresh air to me. 

This game is too sadistic, I love that. 

I wanted to  throw my PS4 bc of the tutorials, I didn't as you can see, but I wanted to.

This is one of the best fighting games I've ever played but also frustrating af, that's the reason I don't even want to talk about it 

Variety is key, and this game has it. But the grind killed me.

 

 

 

 

 

THE BEST:

• Mortal Kombat women (oh ma' lord)
• Visually stunning
• Mechanics
• The Krypt 
• That feeling after performing a fatality/brutality
• Super gore
• Full covered men make me feel some type of way

THE WORST:

• Too grindy but after seeing MKX trophy list I'm gonna remain silent about this
• The difficulty of some tutorials

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Jeanolt]

Congrats on those two big names which I wouldn't be able to plat myself?

 

A bit later but.. I finally started Tekken 7 and I'm beginning to like it. I always disliked the art and graphic style of this game, but the core elements are still there. Also my mains from the PSP days are still there. I'm trying treasure battle with Dragunov, but also love Lee Chaolan, Jin, Yoshimitsu (he was REALLY op in Dark Resurrection), Devil Jin. Who would you recommend to chase the Warrior rank?

Edited March 22, 2023 by Jeanoltt

[Puppeter04]

38 minutes ago, Jeanoltt said:

Congrats on those two big names which I wouldn't be able to plat myself

 

A bit later but.. I finally started Tekken 7 and I'm beginning to like it. I always disliked the art and graphic style of this game, but the core elements are still there. Also my mains from the PSP days are still there. I'm trying treasure battle with Dragunov, but also love Lee Chaolan, Jin, Yoshimitsu (he was REALLY op in Dark Resurrection), Devil Jin. Who would you recommend to chase the Warrior rank?

Thanks! same, I disliked that too, and definitely, same, my mains were still there too! hahaha

 

I did it with Paul, cause he goes straight to the point, L1+X never fails. I think I lost 3 or 4 fights only. But if not, King will also be a good choice. And Kazumi is pretty deadly too, I think she's even op

[Puppeter04]

? (n.19 if we count only the "green ones")
 

Can be done in 1h

6.7 / 10 ⭐

Difficulty: 1-2/10

 

After all the grindy madness, I wanted a game I could relax to, and that I could be done with after having lunch and before going back to my responsibilities. 

A notification popped up in my phone: games leaving the catalog in April, I said: fuck, let's see, and this one was in that list so enough reason to play it now. Another one leaving is Marvel's Avengers but there's no way I could  get that done before its taken out and I prefer paying for it and playing from scratch than paying same price to finish the last 15h of the game, you know what I mean? 

 

 

Anyway, here you are a block, literally, you have to find a way to get to the heart or key that unlocks the heart in later levels. You have to open a path eating the other blocks but you can only eat those that are the same color as you, and you can change your color from white to red. The fact that you are a block and knowing how pixels work, could get frustrating at some points. The two main objectives in each lvl are being full and getting the heart, but only the latter is really necessary bc is your way out of the level. 15 worlds, 12 levels each.

 

After 7 retries, the skip option becomes available, there's only one level you really need to clear for the last trophy which is the last level of world 15, but as a good masochist I didn't skip any at all, maybe a couple cause I was getting angry at it but If you are lucky enough to have the patience of a normal person and not of a baby like I do, then maybe is a good option of entertainment, and even more if you like those games that are meant to be played when you go to the bathroom ?

 

 

update(?): Immortals fenyx is installed, I'm almost done with Fallout 76 "story" and need to finish a bunch of stuff, damn. I'll need to manage my time better cause I'm close to my exam and Ph.D. defense, so probably a lot of short games are gonna be played to keep my profile alive cause 98% of the other stuff I need to finish equals GRIND.

 

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

I said Fallout 76 would be the last plat before moving out but nevermind, double entry guys! 

 

Let's start with Bethesda's worst work ever

 n.77 - Fallout 76 (yeah I know plat 76 would sound better but MK11 came first)

Played: 36 times

Played for: 90h 12min (half of that was loading screens)

Score:  5.3 / 10 ⭐

Did I cry? ⛔

 

Well, sit down, relax, and enjoy this rant 

 

First things first, I neglected this game for so long cuz MMORPGs scare the shit out of me, everything can go soooo wrong, but after I read, only 5-7 trophies were PvP, you can do the rest of the game alone which I don't recommend at all. I've always said the work Bethesda put on their games is massive but what the fuck is this? This is a not-finished product, with worst textures than a cardboard box

The game has 3 DLCs and I "accidentally" aka trying to level up, did some missions so I got some trophies from 2 DLCs but let me tell you, save data is already deleted, I ain't doing that, and the case, cause I own a physical copy is back on its place. 

 

As I said before, loading screens are your enemy, not any single mutant you can find, the loading screens. And they're everywhere, every time you fast travel, every time you enter a building... at least the image changes.

 

But talking about the mutants, damn, everything in here is fking huge and fking disgusting. My most irrational fear is cockroaches, so imagine my face every time I saw one, literally:

 

"EEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWW DONT TOUCH ME FFS, STAY AWAY EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW STOP IT!!!!"

 

Literally hell.. we are in Appalachia, a postapocalyptic world where everything, and I mean everything, can kill you. You suffer from hunger, thirst, and diseases if you dare to eat something radioactive or drink nonpotable water. Don't ask me about the story of this cuz I don't really know. If you are not used to playing RPGs, you are going to suffer, cuz your build matters, a lot, the perks you use and everything. And if you think that using a shotgun is the best idea you've ever had, think twice, you'll find yourself shooting 20 times to kill a simple mosquito (which is giant too btw)

 

Robots, there're robots too. And the lag is terrible. You can shoot an enemy right in the face and voilá, no damage, or you can be 10 meters away from it, it swings its arm and oh surprise, you've been hit. That was stressful. But as always, my savior arrived, yeah, @Slogaze was around again, I love him. He made once again this journey one of the best (still prefer Nioh2 tho) and easy af after giving me materials and weapons ?

 

We did the PvP stuff and then took our time with everything else, we put in some (almost) all-nighters, we could start playing at 8pm and suddenly it was 4am, it really surprises me how time goes by so fast when you are having fun, cuz even tho this game is a disaster, I still had fun.

 

Do you know what this game is good at? Dad jokes. Every time you open a deck (perks) it comes with a joke, this is my fav one:

 

-How do you call a deer with no eyes? No idea

 

I have to admit that it took me a minute but this doesn't end here, 20 levels later I opened another deck:

 

-How do you call a deer with no eyes and no legs? Still no idea.

 

I laughed so hard. It took me completely off-guard 

 

 

Also, caps are your currency here, you get them after finishing quests/events, whatever, and if you want to fast-travel to a location that's not right next to you be ready to spend some money, going from the far left corner to the other side of the map could cost u almost 80 caps, fk capitalism right? And you'd be fast-traveling a lot (crying in broke) but this is just to hate capitalism a bit more cuz you'll be "rich".

 

Another good point, there's a perk that allows you to eat corpses to gain health, so another thing to talk about in my thesis which is about cannibalism, yes, I literally wrote about TLOU and F76.

 

And now guys I'm going to please you with some pics of our postapocalyptic journey... I'm sounding like a Karen who's been in Egypt... Truth must be told, this game has so many things to do, I stopped when I was at level 100 (trophy-related), but I've come across ppl at lvl 1000+ and doing some maths that's +900h on this game, and no thank you. 

 

Me admiring a giant sloth

 

This time admiring Slogaze's ass 

 

 

This might look good but when I said there's lag, I meant it... me being stuck on the ground

 

Or waiting for Slogaze's camp to appear (he has a GREAT camp, mine is a literal dump, well, according to him, is abstract art)

 

 

Us, ready for war 

 

Me with a giant scorpion

 

Playing guitar while I was suffering from diarrhea and had no antibiotics

 

Waiting for Slogaze to give me some goodies

 

 

When I was suffering from squizofrenia 

 

 

This day was our re-encounter after 1-2 months. He missed me

 

Watching him play with this thing's crotch... literally a boxing-bag

 

I don't even know...

 

Okay, last three, I've been laughing too much, now let's appreciate this game's beauty, bc It can really get beautiful:

 

Beautiful, isn't it? 

 

 

And last but not least... our goodbyes... it took us long to log out of the game, we were getting emotional here

 

 

 

Oh boy... what a journey... Let's move on, shall we?

 

 

 n.78 - Battlefield 4 

Played: 31 times

Played for: 42h 27min

Score:  8.2 / 10 ⭐

Did I cry? ✅

 

Im not gonna talk about the online cuz I already did, but it was more than 25h. The campaign is short and sad, and fun as hell. It wasn't my first run cuz I tried to plat this on PS3 back in the day (I didn't and it's pretty impossible now) but I cried anyway.

In my opinion, this is one of the best FPS campaigns out there or maybe I'm attached to it, who knows. Did it in one sitting last night and finished some misc stuff a couple of hours ago. As I've said hard mode on BTF is easy mode on COD, so this was a walk in the park.

Pretty standard military campaign tho as always but some plot-twist and the last decision you have to make really carried everything and put this game on my top5 FPS.

 

As far as I know, this is the last game on the franchise where you are who you are, and share the squad with Pac and Irish. The States vs China/Russia and apparently the whole world. And I could show off my sniper skills, I wasn't in the top 3 Spanish ranking (snipers) for nothing

 

Goodbye guys, we suffered, but we made it, Sargeant Recker is proud of you. Rest in peace Dunn, you, and whoever we've lost in battle.

 

 

 

Now yeah, probably the last plat til... I don't know, be safe and keep the hunt going !! 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Copanele]

13 minutes ago, Puppeter04 said:

I said Fallout 76 would be the last plat before moving out but nevermind, double entry guys! 

 

Let's start with Bethesda's worst work ever

 n.77 - Fallout 76 (yeah I know plat 76 would sound better but MK11 came first)

Played: 36 times

Played for: 90h 12min (half of that was loading screens)

Score:  5.3 / 10 

Did I cry? 

Lol "half of that was loading screens" certified Bethesda game alright  

Congrats! I can't help but share this beautiful gem to accompany your Fallout 76 plat  (to be watched when you have a lot of free time)

 

[Afura_33]

I played Fallout 76 when it came out and it was buggy as hell to the point that I deinstalled the game at that time ^^. Still now it has some bugs and the UI is super clunky and cumbersome, it has one of the worst UI imo lol whoever created this UI has some masochistic tendencies. I think most of the time you waste with scrapping items, looking for ammo cause you are constantly out of ammo, running to your chest, being constantly overloaded and trying to build your house somewhere which is a huge pain in the ass since you can never find a place where you actually can put your house lol I don't know how much time I spend with finding a place that doesn't tell me that I can't built my house here for no obvious reasons lol. When I am done with the plat the first thing I am going to do is uninstalling the game and making a pantless party.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Afura_33

[Puppeter04]

@Copanele I hope that works as background noise tonight... ? No but actually it seems interesting, I came across it once but never clicked, I'll watch it tomorrow! 

 

@Afura_33 some bugs? a lot of them! haha no but to be honest, I didn't scrap many items, but being overloaded stressed me out, a lot, after every mission/event I had to drop a lot of stuff, mostly bc whatever they give you is completely useless... and the C.A.M.P OH-MY-GOD, I used to be into interior design back when I was a teen but they almost asked for a hair from a unicorn's tail just to build a fking table. Never bothered much, just spammed bonfires and walls til I hit the 100 things built for the trophy, I didn't even have a workbench at my camp, always used teammates' stuff ?

 

When I played alone, I always changed teams to fast-travel for free hahaha yeah, I'm kinda greedy when it comes to "money" and money. 

And please, invite me to that pantless party. 

[Afura_33]

15 hours ago, Puppeter04 said:

@Afura_33 some bugs? a lot of them! haha no but to be honest, I didn't scrap many items, but being overloaded stressed me out, a lot, after every mission/event I had to drop a lot of stuff, mostly bc whatever they give you is completely useless... and the C.A.M.P OH-MY-GOD, I used to be into interior design back when I was a teen but they almost asked for a hair from a unicorn's tail just to build a fking table. Never bothered much, just spammed bonfires and walls til I hit the 100 things built for the trophy, I didn't even have a workbench at my camp, always used teammates' stuff 

 

When I played alone, I always changed teams to fast-travel for free hahaha yeah, I'm kinda greedy when it comes to "money" and money. 

And please, invite me to that pantless party. 

 

ok a lot of bugs you are right ? . Yea this is annoying, everytime you finish a mission and want to go back to turn in your quest you just can't because you are too overloaded to travel lol. My house did even break due to a bug into two pieces, I have no clue how this happened but just one half of my house is left and I am too lazy to rebuild it haha. I am glad I am not doing this mess of a game solo lol, there is no way I would do this all alone. 

 

That was pretty smart from you to change team everytime you wanna fast-travel for free  . You are invited to my pantless party of course 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Afura_33

[Puppeter04]

Okay, now for real, last plat before moving out ? 

 

 N.79 - MINIT 

 

 

This game is... Mmmh how can I put it... Well, it's a game, that's for sure, and a really fun one tho, the 3 hours (5 times) I played passed by fast af. Made by 4 people, and hear me out cuz I'm about to tell you who they are:

 

-Jan Willem Nijman is one of the managers of the Vambleer studio ('Nuclear Throne')

 

-Jukio Kallio was responsible for its soundtrack and many others (the B-sides of 'Celeste', for example)

 

-Dominik Johann is part of the studio Crows Crows Crows ('Accounting') 

 

-Kitty Calis was one of the producers of Guerrilla Games' 'Horizon: Zero Dawn'

 

So I thought: "damn, this has to be a nice one" and i wasn't wrong.

 

 

As the name suggests, minit -> minute, your life last exactly 1 minute in a normal playthrough, 40s in the second run which you have to do.

 

Another trophy is finishing the game in under 25 runs (deaths) preferably in your second run, believe or not, that makes things easier bc you can cheese your playthrough and doing it in even under 10 runs.

 

This game mechanic is pretty simple, you have a sword for killing enemies, then you will find different items for different purposes (coffee for strength, flashlight, throwing sword hability, gloves, shoes for running fast... Etc). You have to wander around screens making good use of the time you have left, pressing switches, going inside caves, temples, and fighting the boss at the 'end'. And that's basically it guys.

 

Here you have a better look of the game itself:

 

 

I really really really recommend it.

 

7.9/10 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Puppeter04]

? INSIDE 

 

I 100% this the 4th of April at 3 am back home, I literally was stuck to my chair, I couldn't go to bed without finishing this. If you haven't played this but played Limbo or Little Nightmares I'm sure you get it. I needed to learn more, understand more (or something at least), get to the end of this, and know what was happening.

 

This game traumatized me, in a good way if that's even possible. 

 

Inside is a platform game that, without any indication or direction, launches you into an adventure like when your dad throws you into a pool to teach you how to swim. With one button you jump and with another, you interact... That's all there is to know about how it's played. But it's in what's happening around the character that the game shines the brightest. Sometimes it's terrifying, sometimes violent, sometimes melancholy, but mysterious all the time. But the most impressive thing is that it manages to do all this without a single word or text.

 

I don't plan to give plot details, as I think a big part of Inside's appeal is its interesting story. I can say that it is about a child who is escaping from something. Where is he going? What are you looking for? What will you find in the end? They are the questions I asked myself all the time as I tried to decipher the details of Inside, what a wise thing to do at 3 am when you can't think straight. 

 

As with Limbo, the deaths are violent and very graphic at some points. If you die, you return to a nearby checkpoint and you have to repeat what you did until you manage to pass that obstacle. And this loading system – which at times is very fast – makes the Inside experience feel constant.

For example, you may be hiding among the trees of the forest, and seconds later, you are swimming in a strange lake, looking for the shore to return to dry land. The action happens without real cuts and never stops, even if the scenario in which you find yourself is radically different.

 

And well, the ending is something I recommend being prepared for because it took me by surprise. By the way, there is an alternate ending if you destroy all the machines hidden throughout the game (each machine destroyed makes a trophy pop up) 

 

What I want you to understand guys, if you haven't played this yet, is that I couldn't sleep that night at all, I needed answers to all my questions!!!!!  and even today, I cannot answer much, there're a lot of theories around, worth taking a look at. 

 

And I'm fighting myself to not tell you about the end of the game, if you played it, please discuss it with me. If not, go play and be ready for these words to come out of your mouth without you even noticing:

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!

 

 

 

 

Well going back to real life, in May a lot of games are gonna be taken out of the catalog as you probably know already, fortunately, nothing I'm currently playing. I have Wifi again, I literally downloaded The Evil Within (32GB) in 10 minutes. I've been playing AC Origins, yeah, I said I wasn't going to play any AC for the next 15 plats, but had no choice, I couldn't play any digital games! And in terms of relaxation and "I'm not gonna make you think much, just enjoy, nothing is missable" ACO was the best choice. 

 

Some stressful weeks ahead for me, Ph.D. defense is around the corner so imma take it easy. I'll be back soon enough ! 

•  

[Jeanolt]

Inside is really good, there's only a handful of games that manage that feeling. In the opposite side, Abzu or Journey manage that feeling very well, without the horror counterparts. Also if you liked that 2D perspective, although a very different game, Unravel is pretty good. Obviously Little Nightmares II falls into that bag.

 

On a side note, I platted Tekken 7! I remembered your recommendation and actually used Paul for some trophies lol. I admit I enjoyed the game and ended up being a milestone, although I didn't plan it.

 

Good luck with the PhD! I know it can be stressful since my cousin is going through it so nothing but wishing you to pass this challenge, only one in a even bigger life?

[Puppeter04]

On 28/4/2023 at 8:55 PM, Jeanoltt said:

Inside is really good, there's only a handful of games that manage that feeling. In the opposite side, Abzu or Journey manage that feeling very well, without the horror counterparts. Also if you liked that 2D perspective, although a very different game, Unravel is pretty good. Obviously Little Nightmares II falls into that bag.

 

On a side note, I platted Tekken 7! I remembered your recommendation and actually used Paul for some trophies lol. I admit I enjoyed the game and ended up being a milestone, although I didn't plan it.

 

Good luck with the PhD! I know it can be stressful since my cousin is going through it so nothing but wishing you to pass this challenge, only one in a even bigger life

Congrats for T7! it was fun, wasn't it?! I enjoyed it too  which one is your next? 

 

and thank you, let's see how it goes! 

[Puppeter04]

 n. 80 - ASSASSIN'S CREED ORIGINS & DISCOVERY TOUR FREE DLC

Better images below cuz plat screenshot is atrocious

 

Played: 16 times

Played for: 69h ?

Did I cry? ✅ just a lil bit

Diff: 3/10

Score: 8.3/10 ⭐

 

 

Well, (Ancient) Egypt... what a beautiful land, it's not my favorite AC but it was definitely an adventure I enjoyed. I have mixed feelings about this one.

 

As an introduction for those who haven't played AC at all (if you still exist, guys):

 

The Assassin's Creed series has been a time machine to allow us to play with history. Over the course of a decade, we fought in the Crusades in the Holy Land, toured Italy during the Renaissance in the footsteps of Ezio Auditore, lit the flames of freedom in the United States and France, participated in the Industrial Revolution, and even been pirates in The Caribbean.

The popularity of the series grew to reach the movie screens and Ubisoft did so well with the franchise that its open-world format rubbed off on most of their games because they consider it the most important genre in the industry.

This decade of Assassin's Creed made it clear that Ubisoft has a talent for recreating places since all installments are a delight for the virtual tourist who wants to travel in that time machine. Ubisoft also made us notice what happens when a formula is overexploited in annual deliveries: consumer uncertainty no longer considers the franchise a safe bet year after year. And don't even get me started on the actual situation going on with Ubisoft. 

The studio took a year off the franchise after the Syndicate paid the price for the blemish left by Unity and is now (back then) back looking for the origins of the Assassins in Ancient Egypt, but the question is was it able to redeem the franchise?

 

 

More than 27 hours is what it takes to finish the game's campaign without spending too much time outside of what is necessary, but there is much more to see between the sands of the Egyptian desert or under the crystal clear waters of the Nile and its lakes. Assassin's Creed Origins makes it clear that the series has sought to transform itself in several ways to offer something better and I think it managed to deliver one of the best games in the franchise in many years, although it saddens me - as a fan of the series - that it has serious errors that do not allow it to sneak among the best of 2017.

 

 

THE LEGACY OF THE SERIES

 

Since its inception, the saga has had a line: Assassin's Creed is about an order that lives in the shadows to eliminate key members of a rival order that seeks to dominate society and oppress those who have less. The eternal conflict between Assassins and Templars is the fight between liberators and oppressors, between society and bad rulers. In every game there is a pyramid of rival objectives, the campaign usually has a couple of missions that prepare you for the main assassinations or to discover the key pieces of the oppressive organization and after progressing a bit and improving your skills you are ready to climb between the objectives until you reach the head of evil. 

Another constant in the series is that not everything happens at the current historical moment; We have always been presented with protagonists in the present who, through the Animus, enter the genetic memories that allow them to live the stories of people from the past and use all that historical data to confront the Abstergo company in the present.

In Assassin's Creed Origins, there is a new protagonist who found a way to use the Animus to access the memories of other people's genetic memories; Although there are few moments in which the campaign takes you to the present, it has interesting segments, especially if you read the files that help you connect characters and learn more about who accesses the memories of Bayek of Siwa in Ancient Egypt. The story in the present unites all the games in the franchise, but it's a shame that when Desmond Miles' saga concluded in Assassin's Creed III everything that happened in subsequent installments felt bland and irrelevant, including this title.

 

 

AN ASSASSIN'S CREED THAT EXPERIMENTS WITH CHANGES AGAIN 

 

Especial mention to this AC-FF collaboration !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sword, shield, and mount

 

The best success of Assassin's Creed Origins is its representation of Egypt. Almost all Ubisoft games tend to shine brightly in the representation of their environments and the work here is amazing; among the best in recent years. From the footprints on the sand to the reflections on the water, the game looks spectacular; like a dream come true for any lover of history and, specifically, of Egyptology (as I am).

The historical era is very interesting. The legend of Cleopatra materializes before your eyes as you relive the time when the people of the Nile mixed with Greek traditions to make way for the mighty Alexandria. Egyptian people who live on the ruins of cities and giant monuments that were already mystical curiosities of "old Egypt" were wonderfully portrayed. It's interesting to find tombs inside the pyramids that taste as nice as when you explored catacombs in Italian cities during the Ezio trilogy.

The map is huge and is a good representation of much of the country complete with heavily populated areas and vast natural expanses with enigmatic ruins to explore. In addition to everything you see, you can explore a large expanse of ruins left in underwater environments and the interior of many buildings such as houses, palaces, and temples. I liked that the campaign is steeped in the mythology and traditions of Ancient Egypt. Many of the secondary missions are repetitive, but some have a lot of juice in terms of the worldview of the people and the way they lived in that important historical period in the region. But I'm not going to talk much about side quests because I think I did like 20 out of the 120 or some.

The campaign has great moments, Bayek from Siwa and his wife Aya are very good leads and have great voice acting that furthers their charisma. Among all the games in the series, Origins is one of the ones that has caught me the most with the resources it uses to make you believe that the Animus is really taking you to Ancient Egypt.

 

COMBAT SYSTEM: NOT PERFECT BUT IT'S MORE PERSONAL THAN THE REST OF THE SERIES

 

Assassin's Creed Origins is still a game where it's best to strategize your approach to conflict and preferably finish an entire section without alerting the enemy with classic tactics like hiding in the grass, performing stealth kills, surprising the enemy with aerial kills, and try to sneak through the crowd or buildings when you know you won't be able to against a good number of enemies. The pacing is similar to that of any other title in the franchise. One of the most marked changes is the way to face rivals, because while in past games the action was reduced to mashing 1 or 2 buttons to form combos automatically, here you have much more direct control. The attack buttons are no longer the front ones on the controller, but the triggers for strong and weak attacks. 

In general, it seems to me that it is a functional combat system. It has slight similarities with all the Souls-like games on the market, but it's not as harsh on the user because the game is more focused on action, exploration, and other challenges.

What I missed was a stamina bar (which we have in AC Valhalla) that made combo execution more strategic; In the same way, the precision of the attacks leaves much to be desired with everything and the fixation of the rivals: there are times when the irregularities of the terrain and other factors external to the fight have a negative impact on a functional combat system. I definitely enjoyed this personal combat system much more; as I did with AC Odyssey but Ubisoft knows there's much more to polish. 

 

 

The variety of weapons enters the theme of combat. In addition to having lots of swords that fit the historical period being represented, there is a noticeable difference in the way agile but low-damage light weapons are handled compared to axes or maces that do huge damage but are slow and heavy; Experimenting with the option that best suits your needs in this new combat system is something that will give you many hours of varied gameplay. The arcs that become strong protagonists when approaching the action or resolving conflicts from a distance also deserve mention; Among the most outstanding contributions of this type of weapon is the fact that, like weapons and shields, there are varieties that allow you to shoot at great distances with precision or close but with extended damage by having more than a single arrow per shot. 

 

 

RPG ELEMENTS AND A STRANGE REWARD SYSTEM

 

 

Although the series has always flirted with RPGs and in general all of Ubisoft's open-world games offer experience points, leveling up, and pretty much the same skill tree, there are specific features of Assassin's Creed Origins that leave us facing the game with more elements of the genre. The skill tree allows you to spend points you earn when you level up on 3 branches that upgrade Bayek's active or passive abilities; It is not very different from what we saw in Watch Dogs 2 or Ghost Recon: Wildlands, to give just a couple of examples. Loot is the main element that gives Origins a more interesting RPG touch, but the way it works is a bit disconcerting, as it does not escape looking for you to pay for microtransactions.

Bayek has armor pieces that cannot be replaced, only upgrades with materials to boost areas like accuracy, ammo carry capacity, health bar, and attack power, among others. The search for these materials will require you to explore, hunt  (What in the actual Far Cry was that?!), or take precious resources from the oppressors.

I'd be lying if I said it's hard to get what it takes to upgrade those armor parts. Thanks to Senu, the eagle/drone helping you, it's easy to locate the sources of material you need, but if that's not your thing, you have the option of paying for resource packs with credits you buy with microtransactions.

 

Outside of those fixed parts, all of the weapons, shields, and outfits that change Bayek's aesthetic appearance are earned as quest rewards, loot from beating opponents, or purchased from stores with in-game currency. All shields, weapons, and bows have degrees of rarity (Common, Rare, Legendary) and a level that matches your character at the time you obtain them. A factor in a number tells you how much it contributes to your potency and defense. As you progress you receive rewards proportional to the level of your character, so that an ugly common sword can easily surpass the contribution that gives you the very expensive legendary sword that you bought in a store or that was granted to you as an exclusive reward of having the Deluxe version of the game. The system tells you that there is nothing to worry about because you can improve any piece with the blacksmiths so that it is proportional to your level, the problem is the enormous amount of drachmas that you will have to pay.

 

It's a little frustrating that if you decide to level up a piece that you really like because of its characteristics - something that happens easily when you have very rare weapons with interesting unique abilities - it doesn't take 30 minutes of play before you receive something better and your more than 2000 drachmas paid to the blacksmith are practically not worth it. This system forces you, rather, not to become attached to pieces of equipment to avoid paying to improve it. In this case, all the legendary and rare pieces become a hook to be paying the blacksmith instead of being something useful that permanently helps you in your adventure.

It is completely clear that the new RPG touches and the way it rewards users are huge changes for the series. So much variety in the loots encourages more to play and experiment with the options, although the way to manage and level up those rewards does not seem the best between games that work in a similar way.

 

 

 

THE STUMBLES OF ASSASSIN'S CREED ORIGINS

 

 

The main Achilles heel of the series is its repetition. Assassin's Creed Origins does a lot to provide variety through different activities, but it does not escape feeling repetitive like the rest of the games in the series. n its favor, Origins has side missions that tell one or another interesting story to enrich the enormous detail of the map. Against it, it has that these stories are just a disguise that involves the same type of activities that the series has been dragging along for a decade. Clearing forts and looting treasure, rescuing a prisoner, and killing specific targets are actions that are repeated over and over again; there is little creativity in the puzzles or the use of environmental elements to solve situations, fleeting moments that are only lived inside the tombs. Assassin's Creed Origins is still a game of following markers everywhere, launching the drone (your eagle) to identify the targets, and getting to execute rivals stealthily or with your combat skills. Open-world games that came out this year have given us hundreds of hours of experiences with creative activities and intelligent challenges, making it clear that this Ubisoft formula, which is repeated over and over again in most of its games, has to change a lot to be relevant. again. Yes, we appreciate the wonderful recreations that impact the eye, but more is needed, virtual tourism or a few good stories to stand out in the middle. Assassin's Creed Origins has many shortcomings in artificial intelligence. When you have to participate in a mission with an ally, you immediately notice that there is much to improve in the way they perform. On the enemy's side, I had to hide several times in a mound of straw, they knew I was there and they kept shooting at the fence behind me without causing me any harm.

The game implements an automatic travel system where your mount follows the paths while you can appreciate what is around you, however, it is uncomfortable that there are always people who cross each other or crash into things, which shows that this function had that have been polished It is not news that a game of this type with the ambitions of a huge open world has bugs. I'm sure these flaws won't be talked about as much as when Assassin's Creed Unity became the target of ridicule, but maybe that's because we all know that Ubisoft's quality standard includes those flaws.

It's a shame that everything I've said about the exquisite recreation of the world being presented is tainted by this kind of oversight. If the game were impeccable on a technical level and a smaller world was made, but relevant in terms of creative challenges, it seems to me that it would be a strong candidate to be among the best of 2017.

 

VERDICT

Oh, I forgot to mention the references this game makes! Uncharted, and Street Fighter among others, pretty great details, did you notice?

Assassin's Creed Origins is a delight for the virtual tourist or history geek; Its changes leave it with the best game in the series in years, however, important flaws make it only a good experience, dryly, which continues to give up a place that could correspond to it in the best of 2017 lists.

I enjoyed its combat system —which is not perfect but adds to a series in which the fights were very automatic— which with a little more work could be one of the stars in the future of the series. Its loot and rewards, while working in an unconventional way, encouraged me to explore its vast open world, another welcome change to a series that has now taken more elements from the RPG genre.

The recreation of Egypt is fantastic, its world is dangerous and wild, it is a fabulous adventure field contained in one of the best maps the series has ever had and, fortunately, there are secondary missions that enrich the setting with their mythical stories and about the Egyptian lifestyle. The weaknesses can be summed up as a lack of creative spark in a game that still lacks challenges that make the player think instead of always leading him by the hand with his piles of markers. Repetition is a predator that kills the thrill of exploring its exquisite map. It is a pity that it continues to have bugs and that this is the hallmark of much of Ubisoft's open worlds.

 

And about the Discovery Tour DLC... guys, I'm a nerd when it comes to Ancient History, I already knew everything so I skipped through most of it but it was a great addition for those who want to learn more! 

 

 

THE GOOD:

• Stunning recreation of Ancient Egypt
• Huge open world
• Positive adjustments to the combat system and progression of the series
• Good protagonist with remarkable voice acting
• Enjoyable campaign full of mythical and everyday elements

 

THE BAD:

 

• Repetitive challenges and lack of creativity
• Bugs are still present
• Although it is not pay-to-win, leveling up weapons and weaponry can feel like a motivation to pay for microtransactions

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Puppeter04

[Copanele]

Congrats for finishing that behemoth of a game  (and wait until you get to the DLC!)

 

AC Origins was an interesting step forward (and truly is any history buff's wet dream) ...but man, despite being populated...I rarely played a more empty AC game. I don't know, now that I try to remember...I have no idea what I did in that game, other than sightseeing on camelback and trying to catch various mirages in the desert, letting Bayek get baked in the sun. I felt that the game lacked that "something" that made the predecessors great (although Bayek himself was a great protagonist).

 

And yeah, levelling up shit was super dumb. Never fall in love with any equipment, since it will become obsolete in the next 2 levels/

[Puppeter04]

12 hours ago, Copanele said:

Congrats for finishing that behemoth of a game  (and wait until you get to the DLC!)

 

AC Origins was an interesting step forward (and truly is any history buff's wet dream) ...but man, despite being populated...I rarely played a more empty AC game. I don't know, now that I try to remember...I have no idea what I did in that game, other than sightseeing on camelback and trying to catch various mirages in the desert, letting Bayek get baked in the sun. I felt that the game lacked that "something" that made the predecessors great (although Bayek himself was a great protagonist).

 

And yeah, levelling up shit was super dumb. Never fall in love with any equipment, since it will become obsolete in the next 2 levels/

It was rather fast let me tell you, even if it's not my fav, I was stuck to the sofa mostly when I spent 3 days sick af ! Looking forward to the DLCs but have lot of games to finish first, also I think Nioh 2 DLCs will come first, if not the 3 of them, at least 1, cause I'm gonna continue playing coop with Igor and you don't plan things the same way when you are 2 ! ?

 

I had the same feeling, the map is huge and empty, and even Skyrim was more populated lol, well actually no but my roomie has been playing AC Valhalla (we have the whole setup built together except when I wanna stream, then I move to other room), and I even find Valhalla more populated tho. And my lord, I'm hyped about it now. 

 

Going back to Egypt, the only thing that gave me goosebumps was the creation of the brotherhood symbol when the lil skull Bayek had, fell into the sand, omg that was amazing. But I missed some of Eden's fruit relevance. But again, as a history buff myself, I can't complain cuz in that aspect the game was truly on point. 

 

How's DMC5 going? Bc as a Diablo stan myself I already know your feelings but damn, I'm sure you know what trophy scares me from DMC right? HAHAH

Edited May 5, 2023 by Puppeter04